Telescopic trunk



2 sheetssheet 1. P. J. PALICA.

TELESGOPIG TRUNK.

( Nn Model.)

- No. 587,487, Patented Aug. 3,1897.

(No Model.) ZISheetS-Sheet 2.

F. J. PALIGA.

TBLBSGOPIG TRUNK.

No. 587,487. Patented Aug. 3,1897.

THE Nonms strani w. PHOTau'l-Ha, WASHINGTON, u. c.

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Nirnn STATESv PATENT niucn.

FRANK J. PALICA, OF RACINE, IVISCONSIN.

TELESCOPIC TRUNK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 587,487, dated August 3, 1897. Application filed June 5, 1895. Serial'No. 51,'752. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK J. PALIcA, of Racine, in the county of Racine and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Telescopic Trunks; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and' exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which forni a part of this specication. f

This invention relates to improvements in telescopic trunks or traveling-cases or those in which the body of the trunk consists of two pieces or parts, one of which is larger than the other and slides vertically within the other for the purpose of increasing the depth of the trunk, and to that form of such telescopic trunks in which the same are provided with adjustable securing devices by which the sliding` parts may be secured rigidly or immovably to each other in any desired position.

The invention consists of the matters hereinafter described, and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating my invention, Figure l is a view in perspective of the telescopic case or trunk embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a view in cent-ral vertical section of one end of the trunk shown in Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a detail face view of the fastening device shown in Figs. l and 2. Fig. 4 is a detail section taken on line4 4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a rear view of the parts shown in Figs. 3 and 4. Fig. G is a fragmentary interior perspective view of a locking device for the telescopic parts differing somewhat from that shown in the figures of the drawings before mentioned. Fig. 7 is a view in elevation of the latch shown in Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a horizontal plan view of the same. Fig.

lid C, the same being secured to the upper margin of the said outer part B. The upper edge or mouth of the upper part B is provided with a strengthening-frame h, which is attached to its inner edge and serves to stiften or give strength to the same, the said frame projecting inwardly from the upper edge of the said part B and forming a projecting flange or ledge thereon.' The lower part A consists of two end walls a a and two side walls a a', the lower margins of which are connected with a bottom CL2, said walls being made of relatively thin material, and the said part A being adapted to fitwithin the end and side walls b b2 of the part B below the ledge b, which latter will rest upon the top edge of the part A when the telescopic parts are collapsed, or, in other Words, when the trunk is in its most compact or smallest form.

The lid G may be connected by any usual form of hinges with the part B, the same as herein shown, being made also of thin material, consisting of atop wallcand side and end walls c', connected therewith, same being stiffened by means of a rectangular frame O', located within the side and end Walls adjacent to the top wall, so that its margin will rest upon the top-ed ges of the body part B when the cover is closed in an obvious manner.

The fastenin gs or securin g devices to which this invention more especially' relates are l0- cated within the trunk and are accessible only from the interior of same. These devices, as shown in Figs. l to 5, inclusive, are constructedv as follows: D D are verticallyarranged straps of sheet metal or other suitable material, which straps are secured adjacent to the inner faces of the end walls b2 h2 of the top B and are secured at their upper and lower ends to said top by a suit-able form of permanent connection. In the particular construction illustrated the ends of the straps D D are bent or folded over the upper and lower edges of the said end walls h2 b2 and are secured by means of rivets passing through the end walls and through the end portion d of the straps, which are bent or folded outside of the said end walls. The straps at their upper ends rest against the inner faces of the strips formingthe ends of the frame b, by which they are sustained at a distance from the inner surface of said end` walls. Said IOO straps D D are each provided with a plurality of equally-spaced holes d'. E E indicate catches or fastening devices secured to the upper margins of the end walls a of the lower telescopic part A and adapted for engagement with the straps D D by or through the medium of movable pins or bolts forming parts of said catches and which engage the holes in the straps.

Each of the catches E E (shown in Figs. l to 5) is constructed as follows: E is a metal plate or casting which is secured to the upper edge of the end wall a' conveniently by means of flat lugs c e, which reach over the adjacent parts of the end wall and are secured thereto by rivets, said plate or casting being preferably located within a hole or recess cut in said wall in the manner illustrated.

F indicates a hinged latch-lever which is pivoted to the plate E and is provided 4with a bolt f, which is adapted to pass through a hole c3 in the plate t in a direction at right angles to the plate. Against the exterior face of the plate E is secured a strip E2, and the central part of said plate is recessed, so as to form with the strip E2 a vertical recess or passage E3, through which passes the strap D, said plate and strap forming in effect a loop on the inner part B, which engages and slides vertically on the strap when the parts of the trunk are relatively moved or shifted.

The latch-lever F is pivoted to the plate E at one side of the passage E3 by means of a vertical pivot f', which passes through the said latch-lever and through suitable lugs on the plate E in the manner illustrated. The latch-lever is adapted to -rest iiat against the inner surface of the plate E when the bolt f thereof is engaged with the strap D, but is adapted to be swung away from said plate, so as to withdraw said bolt for engagement with said strap when turned on its pivot, said latch-lever being provided with a finger or thumb piece f2, by which it may be easily engaged by the linger for swinging or moving it. As a further improvement in a latch of this character I provide the said latch-lever F, at a point adjacent to its pivot, with a laterally-projecting flat-faced lug f3, which is adapted to bear against a spring F', which spring acts against the said projection in such manner as to hold the latch-lever either in its open or closed position and to require the application of some force to the latch-lever in order to turn or move same again st the action of the spring.

In the particular construction of the latch shown in said figures above referred to the spring F consists of a straight strip of spring metal arranged vertically at the inner face of the plate E', beneath the cross-strip E2, and secured at its upper and lower ends to said plate by means of lips or projections c2, located near the upper and lower margins of the plate and overlapping the ends of said spring, said lips being bent or forced downwardly against the spring to hold the same firmly in position. The spring thus secured is free at its middle part to move inwardly and outwardly under pressure of the lug f3 as the latch-lever is turned on its pivot.

An advantage is gained by arranging the latch-lever horizontally and mounting it on a vertical pivot, for the reason that when the latch-lever is horizontal the locking-bolt f thereof may be made straight instead of being curved concentrically with the pivot of the latch, and the holes in the plate E' and in the strap lmay be elongated horizontally to permit the free passage of the straight bolt without detriment to the action of the device, it being obvious that in this construction t-he straight bolt will be engaged at its upper and lower sides only with the holes in the strap for the purpose of holding or locking the parts of the case from relatively vertical movement. The making of the lever with a straight bolt is preferred because cheaper and more simple to construct than one with a curved bolt. By making the plate E with a hole for the bolt and arranging the latchlever horizontally, moreover, an advantage is gained by reason of the fact that in this construction upward and. downward strains are brought on the said plate by contact of the bolt therewith instead of coming solely on the hinge of the latch-lever, it being obvious that the latch lever will yield sufficiently at its free end to enable the bolt to rest against the top or bottom edge of the hole in the plate without injury to or bringing any great strain upon the pivot of said latch-lever.

In Figs. G to 9 I have shown a construction generally similar to that illustrated in the iigures above mentioned, but differing therefrom somewhat in detail. As illustrated in these. latter figures, the parts of the trunk and the straps D are made in the same manner as hereinbefore described. In this instance, however, I have illustrated the straps as being made of leather or canvas instead of sheet metal and as being provided with eyelets cl2 dzsurrounding the holes therein in order to prevent injury to the straps by the action of the holding-bolts of the catches. The said catches D in this instance generally resemble the catches illustrated in Figs. l to 5, same in this instance being of somewhat more simple form and being made as follows: Each of said catches consists of a casting or shell I-I, provided with an integral plate I-I at its outer face, which plate I-I' is arranged parallel with the body of the shell and forms a vertical passage or opening 112 for the strap D, and, from the fact that it passes around or outside of the strap, forming a loop by which the strap is held in engagement with the inner part of the trunk while allowing the latter to slide freely in the outer part. Said shell is also provided with lateral flanges 7L 7L, which overlap the outer face of the part A of the trunk and are secured thereto by rivets, as shown. A latch-lever I is employed in this IOO IIO'

case, which is generally similar to the latchlever hereinbefore described, the same having a bolt t' and being pivoted by means of a vertical pivot 1l to lugs in the shell I-I, said pivot being arranged at one side of the passage H2. The latch-lever is provided with an upwardly extending finger piece 'i2 for convenience in manipulating the same. Adjacent to its pivot the latch-lever is provided with a square-ended projection 3, adapted to act upon one end of the leaf-spring J, which is attached at one end to the inner face of the shell conveniently by means of a rivet, as shown in Fig. 9.

While I have shown connecting-straps and fastening devices as located at the ends only of the trunk illustrated, yet it will be obvious that any desired number. of such straps and fastening devices may be employed and that they may be located at the sides instead of the ends of the trunk or both at the sides and ends, as may be found preferable or convenient. The top or lid C of the trunk, made as described, will of course be provided with a suitable handle by which the trunk may be lifted, as common,I in such articles.

The adjustable fastening device described for connecting the two telescopic parts of the trunk not only has the advantage of being cheap and durable in construction, but of possessing the strength necessary to withstand rough usage to which such trunks or cases are subjected in traveling and of affording great ease and convenience of adjustment when it is desired to increase ordecrease the depth of the trunk. For increasing the size of the trunk it is only necessary to throw inwardly the two latch-levers, lift the upper part of the trunk the desired distance, and then close or throw outwardly the levers to rengage the bolts with the holes in the straps. If it be desired to shorten or make smaller the trunk, the holding-boltsare similarly released from the straps, the outer or upper part of the trunk depresses on the lower or inner part, and the latches then reen gage with the straps.

The straps arranged as described-that is to say, attached at both their upper and lower ends to the outer part of the trunk-are adapted to best withstand strains coming on the trunk in both directions-that is to say, when the trunk is being carried about by its handle the Weight of the contents will tend to force the bottom part downwardly, and thus bring a downward strain or the tension on the straps, such downward strain coming` on the fastenings by which the upper ends of the straps are secured to the upper edges of the outer part of the trunk-body.l If, however, the trunk, when extended or partially extended, be allowed to rest on the floor and a heavy object be placed on its top, as might occur by a person sitting on it, then the strain will be exerted on the straps in the opposite direction, and the lower ends of the straps would be under tension, the strain in such case coming on the" fastenings which secure the lower ends of the straps to the exterior part of the trunk. The securing devices by which the two parts of the trunk are adjustably held in proper relations to each other are therefore adapted to withstand strains of either kind without injury thereto or liability of breakage thereof.

A further important advantage gained by securing the straps to the outer telescopic part at their lower ends and providing the inner part with loops through which the straps pass arises from the fact that by this contraction complete detachment of the parts is rendered impossible, so that the inconvenience is avoided of accidental separation of the upper from the lower part, such as might occur in case a person sought to lift the trunk by grasping the handle on its top at a time when the catches had been left disengaged from the straps.

I claim as my invention-` 1. The combination with the two parts of a telescopic trunk of straps secured at their upper and lower ends to the upper and lower edges of the exterior part and unattached thereto between their ends and locking de- 'vices secured to the inner part and consisting of latch-plates attached to the inner part and provided with loops to engage the straps, latch-levers pivoted-to said plates and provided with bolts for engaging holes in the straps, said levers being also provided with lugs at their pivoted ends and springs acting on said lugs to hold the levers in either their closed or open position, substantially as described.

2. A combination with outer and inner telescopic parts of a trunk, of straps attached at their upper and lower ends to the upper and lower edges of the outer part, and unattached thereto between their ends, and locking devices attached to the inner part and provided with a loop whichengages the strap on the outer part, said locking devices each comprising a latch-plate attached to the wall of the inner part, a latch-lever pivoted to said plate and provided with a bolt to engage holes in the strap, and also with a flat-faced projection adjacent to its pivot, and a spring secured to the plate and acting on said projection, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses, this 16th day of April,

FRANK J. PALICA. Witnesses:

J. A. BEAUGRAND, C. F. BEAUGRAND.

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